Afrisam cements ties with Lesotho

MASERU – AFRISAM celebrated its first year of operations in Lesotho last Thursday. AfriSam is Lesotho’s first cement manufacturer.

The setting up of the plant in Lesotho last year ended decades of cement imports from South Africa in large quantities.

Since its launch last February, Afrisam cement is beginning to dominate the Lesotho market. Its competitors are Alpha Cement and PPC.
AfriSam CEO, Steven Olivier, said the celebration was “not just about the opening but also the positive relationship between AfriSam and Basotho for decades”.
The AfriSam manufacturing plant involves a blending and packing facility and has an initial cement production capacity of 200 000 tons per annum.
However, the production capacity can be increased depending on Basotho’s need for cement.

“AfriSam is a significant investment. We have done this investment because we believe in the future of Basotho and Lesotho as a country,” Olivier said.
“This manufacturing plant will add to the growth prospects in Lesotho as the plant will comfortably provide all the cement requirements of the Lesotho nation,” he said.
“The plant can produce specialised products for large infrastructure projects such as the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.”

Olivier said at AfriSam they “understand that a cement industry adds a lot of socio-economic value to the country as it is not only about the products we make, but we are also interested in the possibilities that our products create”.

“It’s not purely about the structures but it is also about what the structures can do for us,” Olivier added.
He said the company is “extremely proud about round out association with the Kingdom of Lesotho. We believe that we can play a continuous role in the growth and development of this country.”
Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili said he believed a cement plant could be a powerful factor in the economic and social development of Lesotho.

“Currently, I am told that this new plant has the potential to create in excess of 1 000 direct and indirect job opportunities in a number of sectors,” Mosisili said.
“Your contribution to the development of our economy to promote skills in our labour force is most welcome indeed. It is our fervent hope that this cement plant will have real impact on employment opportunities in Lesotho,” he said.